Ethernet/IP added to software development kit

The Sitara AM335x by Texas Instruments has added support for EtherNet/IP in addition to Profibus and EtherCAT, which enables OEMs to connect their devices to a wider range of PLCs or HMI systems.

October 7, 2013

Texas Instruments’ (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) Sitara AM335x industrial software development kit (SDK) has added EtherNet/IP to go with the Profibus and EtherCAT protocols that are already available. Supporting multiple protocols on a single device with an integrated on-chip programmable real-time unit (PRU) makes industrial automation easier and more affordable for OEMs. OEMs can now easily access production-ready software and accelerate time to market for their industrial automation designs, including programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and I/O devices such as sensors and drives. Advancement of this industrial SDK furthers TI’s unmatched commitment to simplifying product development.

With the extended protocol support in TI’s Sitara AM335x industrial SDK, OEMs can now connect their PLCs or I/O devices to two or more types of PLCs or HMI systems to give their customers enhanced connectivity flexibility in their industrial automation systems. As these protocols are supported through a single chip, OEMs can design scalable solutions with one printed circuit board based on TI’s Sitara AM33x processors and simply change the protocol software in the processor’s PRU depending on system requirements. The PRU is a 32-bit processing engine that is optimized for industrial protocols and other real-time tasks. It eliminates the need for an additional FPGA or ASIC. The industrial SDK runs on the differentiated ARM + PRU system-on-chip architecture on Sitara AM335x processors, reducing OEMs system cost and complexity for easy development and faster time to market, and enabling scalable solutions from industrial communications for industrial drives or PLC to higher performance HMI systems.

Texas Instruments

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